CRITICAL ZONE SCIENCE

Catalog description

This course examines the Critical Zone (CZ), Earth's permeable layer that extends from the top of vegetation to the bottom of groundwater. The CZ is a constantly evolving layer where rock, soil, water, air, and living organisms interact to regulate the landscape and natural habitats; it also determines the availability of life-sustaining resources, including our food production and water quality. CZ science is an interdisciplinary and international endeavor focused on cross-disciplinary science. In this course, we will focus on using data available from the existing National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded CZ Observatories (CZOs) along with readings, discussions and activities to explore interactions within the CZ. (Cross-listed with GEOG 8646 , GEOL 4640 )